16 Weeks
by how-i-met-my-otp
Summary: Their relationship hasn't even begun, and it already has a cut-off date. Set during early season four, shortly after Barney's bus incident.


"Will you marry me?"

Robin stared down at Barney, down on one knee in front of her with a ring. It was a sight she never expected to see. The restaurant's guests continued their chatter, a few heads turned towards them.

"Barney, what are you doing?" She had nearly choked on her drink.

"Will you marry me?" He repeated, confidence refusing to waver.

"What is this?" Robin raised her voice, her confusion imitating the sound of anger. And, to an extent, she was angry. Pissed off at the very least. It was only their first date, and she hadn't even been sure it _was _a date. When she had gone out with Ted for the first time, she had been shocked by his sudden confession of whatever Ted believed to be love at first sight, but from getting to know him she came to understand that it wasn't out of character. But Barney was different, and he was the one holding the ring. "You want to marry me?"

He nodded hesitantly. "You know, I thought I made that clear."

"Is this some sort of sick joke?" She shook her head. "We slept together once. We can't get married; it'd be insane and silly and-"

"Right. It'd be right." He insisted. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"You're serious? You're serious." Robin steadied her breathing and downed the rest of her drink. "Um, I've got to go." She began heading towards the door.

Barney rushed behind her, gently stopping her with a hand on her shoulder, "Wait, Robin."

She took a shaky breath, reminding herself that the warmth she secretly felt when he said her name was no reason to say yes. She couldn't say yes. And any part of her that wanted to she assumed was influenced by alcohol alone.

"Wait. Don't leave, okay. I didn't mean to freak you out. I just-"

She cut him off. "I just don't get how you're so sure about this. I mean, you, of all people. This isn't like you, Barney."

"Just let me explain. Please." He took her by her hand, leading her back to their table. "You know how they say when you have a near death experience, your life flashes before your eyes?"

Robin nodded.

"Well, Ted was right. You don't see everything, you see what you love. Who you love. And all I remember being able to think about was you. I thought I was crazy, maybe from the morphine or something, but then, a few days ago…" Barney trailed off. "The point is, I'm in love with you. I just thought maybe we could give it a shot." He thought about the people he'd pushed away in fear of being abandoned. Maybe he was over-correcting, clinging too tightly to Robin so that he would never be faced with losing her. Ironically, with every word he spoke he felt like maybe his attempt to become closer to her may only distance them after all.

"Barney, I really like you. And I care about you a lot. But I can't marry you. You know me; commitment isn't my thing. I just can't."

"I understand." He forced the hint of a smile. It was all he could manage. Barney pushed himself to imagine how he'd have reacted had the roles been reversed. Of course Robin was different from any other one night stand, but if she'd ran to him wanting to get married, he'd probably have ran away twice as fast.

* * *

><p>It was four days later that he proposed again. Barney sat down across from Robin at their usual booth at MacLaren's after the rest of the gang had left.<p>

"We really should get married, you know." He said casually, handing her a scotch.

"Barney…" she began. Robin still had no idea where this, which she assumed to be some sort of insanity, was coming from, but she didn't want to have this conversation again. She knew if they went through it enough times she may eventually have to own up to some feelings for him, and she wasn't ready for that.

"No, really. Here me out."

Robin leaned back against the seat, taking a swig of scotch. "Okay. I'm listening."

"You're hot." He pointed out, counting on his fingers.

"Yes."

"I'm hot."

"Yes." She agreed again.

"You just admitted I'm hot." He tapped his third finger. "We both like scotch" he realized, excitedly gesturing to their drinks on the table, "And cigars. And we played lasertag that one time and even though you sometimes call it lame I know you secretly enjoyed it."

Robin laughed a little, smiling, knowing he was right about that much.

"You always do that little half laugh half smile when I joke and stuff. And, based on the one time that it happened, we have amazing sex. And you know," He paused, knowing what he was about to say would be difficult. "I think about you a lot. And I look at you and I finally feel like maybe there are better things in life than one night stands."

"I can't do this." She said quietly. She had found herself falling further and further away from her senses, letting herself think that maybe taking up on his offer was really what she wanted. His last point had dragged her back to reality, the reality that this was about more than how adorable she found him when he got excited about things, and how much she really was attracted to him, even after only one night together. This was about the possibility that Barney Stinson was in love with her. And Robin didn't do love. "We slept together once, and now you're asking me to be with you for the rest of your life. I just- that's not something I can commit to. That's a long time." She choked out.

"It might not be." He said, a vast change in his expression, downing the rest of his drink.

"What are you- " She began.

"I'm dying, Robin."


End file.
